Isaiah 51:1
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
Isaiah 51:1 in other translations
| BSB | “Listen to Me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the LORD: Look to the rock from which you were cut, and to the quarry from which you were hewn. |
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| WEB | “Listen to me, you who follow after righteousness, you who seek the LORD. Look to the rock you were cut from, and to the quarry you were dug from. |
| ASV | Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek Jehovah: look unto the rock whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged. |
| YLT | Hearken unto Me, ye pursuing righteousness, Seeking Jehovah, Look attentively unto the rock--ye have been hewn, And unto the hole of the pit--ye have been digged. |
| DARBY | Hearken unto me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek Jehovah: look unto the rock whence ye were hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye were digged. |
| BBE | Give ear to me, you who are searching for righteousness, who are looking for the Lord: see the rock from which you were cut out, and the hole out of which you were taken. |
| Webster | Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the LORD: look to the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged. |
What does Isaiah 51:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Is 51:1-23. Encouragement to the Faithful Remnant of Israel to Trust in God for Deliverance, Both from Their Long Babylonian Exile, and from Their Present Dispersion.
1. me--the God of your fathers. ye ... follow after righteousness--the godly portion of the nation; Is 51:7 shows this (Pr 15:9; 1Ti 6:11). "Ye follow righteousness," seek it therefore from Me, who "bring it near," and that a righteousness "not about to be abolished" (Is 51:6, 7); look to Abraham, your father (Is 51:2), as a sample of how righteousness before Me is to be obtained; I, the same God who blessed him, will bless you at last (Is 51:3); therefore trust in Me, and fear not man's opposition (Is 51:7, 8, 12, 13). The mistake of the Jews, heretofore, has been, not in that they "followed after righteousness," but in that they followed it "by the works of the law," instead of "by faith," as Abraham did (Ro 9:31, 32; 10:3, 4; 4:2-5). hole of ... pit--The idea is not, as it is often quoted, the inculcation of humility, by reminding men of the fallen state from which they have been taken, but that as Abraham, the quarry, as it were (compare Is 48:1), whence their nation was hewn, had been called out of a strange land to the inheritance of Canaan, and blessed by God, the same God is able to deliver and restore them also (compare Mt 3:9).Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
The prophet exhorts the children of Abraham to trust in the Lord; and briefly, but beautifully, describes the great blessedness which should be the consequence, Isa 51:1-3. Then, turning to the Gentiles, encourages them to look for a portion in the same salvation, Isa 51:4, Isa 51:5; the everlasting duration of which is majestically described, Isa 51:6. And as it is everlasting, so is it sure to the righteous, notwithstanding all the machinations of their enemies, Isa 51:7, Isa 51:8. The faithful, then, with exultation and joy, lift their voices, reminding God of his wondrous works of old, which encourage them to look now for the like glorious accomplishment of these promises, Isa 51:9-11. In answer to this the Divinity is introduced comforting them under their trials, and telling them that the deliverer was already on his way to save and to establish them, Isa 51:12-16. On this the prophet turns to Jerusalem to comfort and congratulate her on so joyful a prospect. She is represented, by a bold image, as a person lying in the streets, under the intoxicating effects of the cup of the Divine wrath, without a single person from among her own people appointed to give her consolation, and trodden under the feet of her enemies; but, in the time allotted by the Divine providence, the cup of trembling shall be taken out of her hand, and put into that of her oppressors; and she shall drink it no more again for ever, Isa 51:17-22. Verse 1 Ye that follow after righteousness - The people who, feeling the want of salvation, seek the Lord in order to be justified. The rock - Abraham. The hole of the pit - Sarah; as explained in Isa 51:2.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Isaiah 51:1-3
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Isaiah 51:1 in the original Hebrew
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Isaiah 51:1
- Isaiah 51:7
Hearken unto me, ye that know righteousness, the people in whose heart is my law; fear ye not the reproach of men, neither be ye afraid of their revilings.
- Psalms 94:15
But judgment shall return unto righteousness: and all the upright in heart shall follow it.
- Psalms 105:3-4
Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the Lord. Seek the Lord, and his strength: seek his face evermore.
- Hebrews 12:14
Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:
- Romans 9:30-32
What shall we say then? That the Gentiles, which followed not after righteousness, have attained to righteousness, even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel, which followed after the law of righteousness, hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumblingstone;
- Romans 14:19
Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another.
- Isaiah 48:12
Hearken unto me, O Jacob and Israel, my called; I am he; I am the first, I also am the last.
- Ephesians 2:11-12
Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
- Amos 5:6
Seek the Lord, and ye shall live; lest he break out like fire in the house of Joseph, and devour it, and there be none to quench it in Beth–el.
- 2 Timothy 2:22
Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.
- Proverbs 21:21
He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
- Genesis 17:15-17
And God said unto Abraham, As for Sarai thy wife, thou shalt not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall her name be. And I will bless her, and give thee a son also of her: yea, I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of people shall be of her. Then Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is an hundred years old? and shall Sarah, that is ninety years old, bear?
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3 by reason of his comfortable promises,
4 of his righteous salvation,
7 and man's mortality.
9 Christ by his sanctified arm defends his from the fear of man.
17 He bewails the afflictions of Jerusalem,
21 and promises deliverance.
Hearken.
4,7; 46:3,4; 48:12; 55:2,3
ye that follow.
7; Ps 94:15; Pr 15:9; 21:21; Mt 5:6; 6:33; Ro 9:30-32; 14:19
Php 3:13; 1Ti 6:11; 2Ti 2:22; Heb 12:14
ye that seek.
45:19; 55:6; Ps 24:6; 105:3,4; Am 5:6; Zep 2:3
look.
Ge 17:15-17; Eph 2:11,12
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Isaiah 51:1
Hearken to me, ye that follow after righteousness, ye that seek the Lord: look unto the rock whence ye are hewn, and to the hole of the pit whence ye are digged.
- Isaiah 51:2
Look unto Abraham your father, and unto Sarah that bare you: for I called him alone, and blessed him, and increased him.
Isaiah 51:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | OIDME, los que seguís justicia, los que buscáis á Jehová: mirad á la piedra de donde fuisteis cortados, y á la caverna de la fosa de donde fuisteis arrancados. |
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| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Écoutez-moi, vous qui poursuivez la justice, qui cherchez l’ Éternel! Regardez au rocher d’où vous avez été taillés, et au creux du puits d’où vous avez été tirés. |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | Höret auf mich, die ihr der Gerechtigkeit nachjaget, die ihr Jehova suchet! Blicket hin auf den Felsen, aus dem ihr gehauen, und auf die Höhlung der Grube, aus welcher ihr gegraben seid. |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | Audite me, qui sequimini quod justum est, et quæritis Dominum; attendite ad petram unde excisi estis, et ad cavernam laci de qua præcisi estis. |